Strictly star Katya Jones struck with illness just days after Brendan Cole infection forces him to withdraw

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Strictly Come Dancing professionals are dropping like flies as a second star has been struck down with illness.

Ed Balls’ dance partner Katya Jones has lost her voice – falling sick just days after Brendan Cole (who dances with American singer Anastacia) was forced to pull out of the BBC reality show due to a lung infection.

Katya, 22, appeared rather worse for wear while appearing alongside 49-year-old Ed on Strictly Come Dancing: It Takes Two on Thursday evening.

Strictly star Katya Jones has lost her voice (Picture: BBC)

‘We must warn you by the way that Katya has lost her voice,’ show host Zoe Ball warned while Katya croaked away.

The dancer was then handed a pen and paper to write responses to questions to save her voice – while former Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer Ed joked Katya had lost her voice after ‘shouting at me all day’.

It is unlikely Katya’s illness will impact her dance skills when the show airs live on Saturday night with a BBC spokesperson telling Metro.co.uk: ‘Katya will let the dancing do the talking this weekend.’